Former Tibetan political prisoner Golog Jigme meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on July 26, 2018 at the U.S. Department of State, in Washington, D.C. Photo: TPI

President Dr Lobsang Sangay with the Thank You India Souvenir – A Dharmachakra representing the wheel of Universal Truth, at the press conference at Press Club of India on January 18, 2018. Photo: CTA/DIIR/Tenzin Phende

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Dharamshala:– Following the announcement of the 2014 Nobel Prize winners by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo, the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has congratulated India's child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistani girls' education campaigner Malala Yousafzai on winning this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

The 2014 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian children right's campaigner Kailash Satyarthi.

"I am writing to congratulate you on your being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is a matter of great joy to me that the work you have both been doing in your different circumstances to support children and their education should have been acknowledged today,"the 78-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate His Holiness the Dalai Lama said on October 11, separate congratulatory letters were sent to the two Nobel peace prize winners Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai.

To the 17-year old Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai the youngest ever Nobel winner, His Holiness wrote:

"For someone so young you showed immense courage in the stand you took to defend girls' right to education. Later, you again showed tremendous strength as you recovered from the injuries inflicted by those who violently disagreed with you. That you have continued, unbowed, to promote the basic right to education earns only admiration."

While to the 60-year old Yousafzai who is Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, His Holiness remarked:

"Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation and someone I consider to be a personal mentor, has been of widespread inspiration across the world, for his dedication to peaceful, non-violent change. I see the award of this prize to you, his follower, as an acknowledgement of him as well."

His Holiness expressed to both awardees his feeling that the decision to award the Peace Prize to a man and a woman, an Indian and a Pakistani, together emphasizes that only as human brothers and sisters will we create a more peaceful, happier world.

His Holiness commended them both for working to support children who are among the most innocent and vulnerable in society, but who are also the seeds of the future, stating that that future will only be secured if we ensure that children receive a full and equal education.

He concluded both letters with the same words:

"The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to both of you serves as reminder of the fundamental importance of education if we are to improve ourselves and create a better world. It is an inspiration to children, girls and boys, everywhere."

In announcing the winners Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the prize was awarded for "their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to an education."

In his speech Friday, Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said the joint prize was symbolic because it was important for "a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism."

Malala said her message to children around the world is that they should stand up for their rights. She said she accepted her award on behalf of "all those children who are voiceless."

"The scale of the problem is still huge- hundreds of millions of children are deprived of their childhood, freedom and education," Kailash Satyarthi said, adding: "the fight to free child laborers and give them education has to continue."

Several media outlets reported on Saturday that Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai were receiving congratulations from many leaders and Nobel Laureates all over the world "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education."